JL Audio Marine Amplifier Recommendations
One of the most popular questions we get from customers and we see when reading the forums and facebook groups out there is, "What amplifier do you recommend for X JL M3 or M6 Speakers?" We have put together a list to help you determine which amplifier you should run for the different scenarios. In addition, we will tell you when to bridge and when to make sure that you have the gain turned down.
To make this as simple as possible, we recommend the JL Audio M series amplifiers. Yes, the MHD amplifiers have their purpose and so do the MVi amplifiers, but when in doubt, go with the JL Audio M series.
M3
- 6.5" M3 Speakers Only
- 7.7" M3 Speakers Only
- 6.5" M3 Speakers + Subwoofer(s)
- 7.7" M3 Speakers + Subwoofer(s)
- 10" M3 Subwoofers Only
M6
- 6.5" M6 Speakers Only
- 7.7" M6 Speakers Only
- 8.8" M6 Speakers Only
- 6.5" M6 Speakers + Subwoofer(s)
- 7.7" M6 Speakers + Subwoofer(s)
- 8.8" M6 Speakers + Subwoofer(s)
- 10" M6 Subwoofers Only
M7
We recommend the JL Audio M-Series amplifiers to power the 6.5" M3 speakers. If you want to save some money or if you are tight on space, you can go with the MX series amplifiers. But, if it's our shop boat and we are putting M3 speakers in it, we are powering it with the JL Audio M-series amplifiers











- 6 Speakers off Channels 1-6.
- Bridge channels 7 & 8 for the subwoofer

- 4 Speakers off of Channels 1-4
- 4 Speakers in Parallel off Channels 5 & 6
- Bridge Channels 7 & 8 for the subwoofer.



- 2 Speakers on Channels 1 & 2
- 4 Speakers on Channels 2 & 4
- Bridge Channels 5 & 6 for Subwoofer 1
- Bridge Channels 7 & 8 for Subwoofer 2

- 4 Speakers off Channels 1 & 2
- 4 Speakers off Channels 2 & 4
- Bridge Channels 5 & 6 for Subwoofer 1
- Bridge Channels 7 & 8 for Subwoofer 2.



- 6 Speakers off Channels 1-6
- Bridge channels 7 & 8 for the subwoofer




- 2 Speakers on Channels 1 & 2
- 4 Speakers on Channels 2 & 4
- Bridge Channels 5 & 6 for Subwoofer 1
- Bridge Channels 7 & 8 for Subwoofer 2

- 4 Speakers off Channels 1 & 2
- 4 Speakers off Channels 2 & 4
- Bridge Channels 5 & 6 for Subwoofer 1
- Bridge Channels 7 & 8 for Subwoofer 2




The JL Audio M6 speakers are the best sounding marine speakers in the world. You want to make sure that you are powering them properly. For the 6.5" speakers, you want to make sure that you have 1 channel per speaker. So if you have 8 speakers, you want an 8 channel amplifier. For the 7.7" and 8.8" speakers, we recommend bridging the amplifier and turning the gain down. This will ensure that you are giving your speakers all of the power they want so that they play loud, they play clear, and you get the sound quality and music experience that you are paying for when you purchase JL Audio M6 speakers.














(Subwoofer Gain Turned Down)

(Subwoofer Gain Turned Down)

(Subwoofer Gain Turned Down)



(2 Extra Channels, but only $40 More)


(Subwoofer Gain Turned Down)

(Subwoofer Gain Turned Down)

(Subwoofer Gain Turned Down)

(Subwoofer Gain Turned Down)





(Subwoofer Gain Turned Down)

(Subwoofer Gain Turned Down)

(Subwoofer Gain Turned Down)

(Subwoofer Gain Turned Down)





(Gain Turned Down)

(Gain Not Maxed Out)


(Gain Not Maxed Out)




The JL Audio MHD amplifiers are badass. But, they are also significantly more expensive. The M-series amplifiers are probably the most popular marine amps available and there's a reason for that. They sound incredible and you can rail on them all day long and they don't overheat or cut out. They also last.
The JL Audio MVi amplifiers are incredible and are essentially updated versions of the M series amplifiers with a DSP built in. The big advantage of the MVi amplifiers is the ability to custom tune each speaker independently and get the correct time alignment. The other big advantage is the ability to switch pre-sets for the DSP settings. When you add the LED preset button, you can switch between modes. This is ideal if you may be towing, swimming, at the sand bar, at the dock, inside, outside, etc. Instead of messing with a bunch of different zones on your head unit, instead you just press the button until you get to the correct preset.
We like the Stinger SEA4247 and SEA4243. The JL Audio wiring kits use 6 AWG wire and we prefer to run 4 AWG wire for all of the JL Audio M-series amplifiers. The Stinger kits use "Siamese" power wire where the red and yellow wires and molded together like speaker wire. The Stinger kits come in 7 meter (SEA4247) and 3 meter (SEA4243) lengths.

Call to Order

Call to Order
Keep your install looking clean with JL Audio marine RCA cables. We carry a full line of marine grade interconnects to deliver the signal from your head unit to your amplifier. It is important to pay attention to the zones on the radio. You may have to use Y connectors if installing multiple amplifiers with a 1 or 2 zone head unit. At the same time, if you have an 8 channel amplifier with a 2 zone head unit, you don't need to run 4 sets of RCAs to the 8 channel amplifier. You can take advantage of the onboard input switches and only run 2 or 4 channels of RCAs.
We recommend adding a JL Audio marine circuit breaker in line near your batteries. You don't want fuses when out on the water because they can be difficult to replace if something trips. With a circuit breaker, simply flip the switch and you are back and ready to rock. JL has the largest selection of marine circuit breakers to protect your amplifier ranging from 30 amps up to 80 amps.
Adding a bass knob to your M-series amplifier allows you to quickly and easily adjust the bass level without having to mess with the radio. Instead of pressing buttons and then adjusting the subwoofer, you just turn the knob up or down, depending on the song. You can also use the MHD-RLC to quickly and easily turn down a zone, without needing to use the zone controller on the head unit. If you have an M800/8 and it is powering both cockpit and tower speakers, you can use the MHD-RLC to control the level of the tower speakers. It's a no brainer and once you have the remote level control, you will never go back.